Senior lawmaker quits UK ruling party over Brexit failure
A senior lawmaker of the British parliament has decided to leave the Conservative Party over what he calls a lack of compromise on how the ruling party should lead Britain out of the European Union.
Nick Boles, a former minister, said late on Monday after his proposal for a softer Brexit was defeated in the House of Commons that the Tory party was no longer the one he once stood for its values.
“I accept I have failed. I have failed chiefly because my party refuses to compromise. I regret therefore to announce I can no longer sit for this party,” said Boles while his voice was cracked with emotion.
“I have given everything to an attempt to find a compromise that can take this country out of the European Union while maintaining our economic strength and our political cohesion,” said the lawmaker before walking out of the Commons chamber.
Boles had submitted one of several alternative Brexit options to a Commons vote after a Brexit deal of government was rejected in the chamber three times.
The parliamentary row over Brexit has triggered a massive political chaos in Britain with politicians from both the ruling party and the opposition Labour Party deciding to defect over lack of unity on the issue.
Nine Labour lawmakers quit the party in February over Brexit and other issues with the party’s leadership. The move was swiftly replicated by three Tories who said they would sit in the Commons as independent MPs like Labour peers.
Experts say the defections, relatively rare and unprecedented in the British politics, are a sign a controversial Brexit referendum in June 2016 in which Britons narrowly voted to leave the EU continues to divide the nation along political and social lines.
1 in 3 Muslims considers leaving UK due to rising Islamophobia
Over 300 Arab figures urge British FM apology over Gaza genocide denial
Thousands rally in London against far-right racism
French march for women of Palestine
Erdogan: Upholding ICC arrest warrants will restore trust in intl. system
Iran activated new centrifuges in response to IAEA resolution: Parl. speaker
Nov. 23: ‘Axis of Resistance’ operations against Israeli occupation
Lindsey Graham threatens to sanction US allies backing ICC arrest warrants
VIDEO | Tens of thousands of Catalans protest to demand access to better housing
Israel launches air strikes on Syria-Lebanon border crossing
Russia: Comprehensive deal with Iran will include defense, security ties
PressTV NEWSLETTER
now
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
